Knockdown structural toy



Dea-22, 1931. J. F. KEY

KNOCKDOWN STRUCTURAL TY Filed July 50, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet atto/:Muga

Dec. 22, 1931. J. F. KEY '1,837,553

KNOCKDOWN STRUCTURAL TOY Filed July 30, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 2,2, 1931 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES FRANCIS KEY, oF PASADEVNA, CALIFORNIA, Assrelvoia oFsIxTY-EIGHTFPER CENT To JAMES' IRVINE, Jn. j

KNocxnowN' srruie'rumir.V `TOY Y Appiicatioa mea Juiyeo, 1930.v serial No. 471,717..

This invention relates to knockdown structural toys such as may be used by children'ztor their own amusement. Such toys embody in their construction a plurality of structural units whichcan be readily put together to produce diiferent articles suchas trusses. bridges or other mechanical devices.` ,The general object of this invention is'to produce a combination of structural unitsof sim-v` ple form which can be readily put together or separated for the purposes indicated above. More speciiically, one of the objects of the invention isfto produce structural units particularly adapted to form a bridge truss and truck carried on the same and cooperating with a crane which can also be constructed of the units. Y i y y A further object of the invention isto provide a joint member of simple construction particularly adapted for connecting structural bars together; also to providesuch a joint with simple means Vfor interlocking aV bar and joint so as to prevent the accidental disengagement of the bar from the joint.

A further object of the invention is to"pro vide a joint of vsimple form enabling bars to be' readily connected together in different planes and out of alignment with each other, at the same time enabling the bars toassume diiierent angular positions with respect to each other also to provide a joint of this character with a construction enabling the plate forming the joint to locklthe bars into the slee-ves that form a part of the joint.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. l Y

The invention consists of novel `parts and combinations of parts to be described herein` after, all of which contribute toproducean efficient knockdownstructural toy.

VA preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following speciiication, while the broad. scope of the invention is pointed outY in the appended claims. l

In the drawings: L `f Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating by wayof example, a Atoy trussorzbridge carrying a track and truclrrunning on the track andV cooperating with a crane.

y Figure 2Vis` a plan of the traclrzand illustrated in Figure 1.

`upper side.

Figure 3' is aisidefelevation and partial sec-l tion broken away illustrating one of the vertical struts or'columns of the trussycertain parts being broken away. This view is a.seo"

tion taken at one side ofthe truss on the line 3-31of Figure 1. i

Figure 4t isa vertical section taken on the 0f Figure 3, certain parts being broken'away 1.;

Figure' is a section and partial elevation'A Y broken away andillustrating a type-'of joint enablingtwo rods to beconnected together in dierent'planes and out o f alignment with each other in such a way asV toY enable the an.-l

gular relation of the rod'sto bealteredatwilhv Figure 6a ,is a plan of one side of a plate used inthe jointillustratedjin,Figure 6 broken away and particularly.,illustrating a type ofsleeve which lI prefer to employn this type of joint. 4 f

Figure 7 isa section on line 7-7-7 of Figure ure 6, certain parts being broken vawa-y 0r shown 1n` section. y Y Y 1 f 1 Figure 8j1s a side elevatlon of a sleeve 'unit which may be employed forV connecting two'V bars which are in longitudinal alignment with'each other.V

Figure 9 isV a vertical` section taken atl` one side 'of atruck and illustrating the elements Employed in mounting an aXleon the Vtruck rame. A

c further illustrating the joint shown in Fig c '75" c Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure Y illustrating an embodiment ofthe vinvention in which the aXle is mounted onva joint unit' ofv special-construction andhaving a means.V

for fastening the wheels of the truck on the outside ofthe joint. Y 4. Vj 1 2` Figure l1 is ai vertical, sectiontaken` on the aXis ofan'axle and illustrating thecon-A struction in which the` truck frame -can bef mounted directly onthe aillesupportedonitsy Figure 12 is a doubleview yasidej Y elevationl andedge view-?of a tension which may be used as adiagonal bracelin the truss structure or in a similar situation.

Figure13 is a cross-section taken on vthe line 1 3-13 of Figure 5 and further illustrateV ing details of this joint.

Figure 14 isa double view showing a side Y elevation and edge view of an end fitting and' also showing ashort portion of a t1e bar or rod yof round'type instead 'ofthe flat typeshown in Figure 12.

Vjoint particularly adapted for forminga,

truss.

`Figure 16 is an end view-oi'f'a'tubularrody to cooperate with this joint and particularly illustrating interlocking' means for securing a tubular rod to a yjoint having' an arm ofthe type illustrated inFigure 115.'

rReferringjmore particularly tothe parts i andespe'cially to F ig'uresl and2, v1 indicates a, brid e structure as'an example of a structure t at could be produced by employing Vmynovel structural elements! and 2 indicates av truckfcapableflof being constructed "in, vlike manner and running on a track 3 on thelower. members of Vthe bridgeA or truss The track.3eirtends beyond the end of the bridge y s o as .to enablelthetruck to cooperate with a crane 4 having a windlass 5 to enablethe childv toremove a load from vthe truck.

V l Ifldesired, thevtruckvmay be 4attached to l5 an endlesslcord 6 passing around guide pul leysf, 8 and 9 and carrying a `handlel() fixed toy it which canfbe ymoyed toand fro by they Y childShandtQo cause thetruck to travel; to 3.5 and fro on thetrack. Y.

4InfFigures, 3 and 4 and also llillustrate s trcturalelements used in the assembly of the yt'r'us'sl. Tlieseparts include a' joint 11 which is particularly usefulzat` theupper part ofrzthertruss. This joint includes two 'arms @integrally connected by a bend 13 and providedfvfvith across bar 14 rigidlysecured at its 1niddle"`point tothe bars 12 Yin the angle Y betweenlthem and at their junction with eachn other. At thispoint 15 the bar14 is preferi; lcfignne'cted tothe angle member composed of the-arms 12, by welding or soldering.- f f y @ne of the larms. 12 is employed forV connecting-a transverse. strut member 16 which 59` is preferably in the form of. asplit tube which i fits closely at its endV over the arm or shank 12. "The .tube and the armV are "preferably provided with kmeans for interlocking lthem Yby relative. rotation. For2 this p'urposevthe *si arm 12 is provided Vwith a taperedtip 17y ad-l jacent'to which'the arm'is provided'fwith a,

circui'erential groove 18. AThe adjacent end ofthe `'tubeis vprovidedlwith two oppositely Y s disposed inwardly'v Vprojecting,lugs 1f9struck from the'materialof'the tube see Figure 16).

,l v.The wedgeshape tip 17 enables the arm to be inserted farenough to bring th-e groove/18 V into'alignment with thedogs =19whereupon a A slightrotation will'fengfagefthe-dogs in" the ."Figurel, is va .perspective illustrating truss are;r similar in form to the 'horizontal' ,1nenibers22-and interlock with the vertical arm 120i the joint, as indicatedvin Figure 1. Atfthefbenols-13 of the joint 11 I prefer to provide small outwardly projecting integral lugs (see Figure 15) `for a purpose which will appear hereinafter. l j .j j

At the base of each columnI 2,3 employa joint 25 comprising two arms 26 whichfare similar in constructionfto the arms 12A but at this pointfof the structure I may omit'thev horizontal bar 14 as Ythispart ofthe truss is subjectedfto tension and furthermore it `isl considerably..reinforced Y by the presence thetrack 3.2 1

Howeven the legs 26'are connected 4by an integral ybend 27 and this bend is provided withv lugs 28. rllheselugsare useful (asin,-

icated in 'Figure 3) forholding in place di- Y agonal'tension members 29 whichmay be of wire or rof the form :illustrated :in Figures V12 and14. Theeyes 30 of these tension mem-VK bers are stopped by the adjacent lugs 28 from slippingV around the bend 27 and lie between" this lug and the adjacent endlfof a tubular, horizontal. cross bar.31 which extends across at the lioor of theVV truss andcarriesthe track 3, said trackcomprising tworails 3a thatr are of round forniY and extend VAlongitudinally, resting onftopof the cross bars 31., VAny suitablemeans may be employed for securing the rails 3cr to. Vthe cross bars'. In; Figuref3, Iz

illustrate abracket32 for'this purpose, comprisingja verticalv plate 4having an openingl 33 through it .to fit overV thecross'bar and having an integral sleeve 34 open on itsfunder.

side. This plate is vmade of lightrresilient sheet metal s'o that the'sleeve can snap over theupperside of therail 3a before the bracke et 32 is slipped over thelend` ofthe cross bar The metal composing thebracket 32 visfso thin that the. presence iof the. sleeve134'do'es not intererewith the movementothe truck wheels along the' rails. s l I The crane includesa verticalpost 35* which at the lower end supports the boom 36" of the crane. ThisA post 35 must Abe held in upright posit-ion and this is 'accomplishedVbyemploy.

ing diagonal braces37fand 38,'and Irfpro'vide` a special joint for connecting these diagonals to-the' upper end'of the post 35. Thi'sconstruction 3 includes two brackets, l39V and 40'Y comprisingvtwo superposed plates connected Y tothe upper end of the post "bya center p in 41 passing down through' aligning lopenings in the plates; this pinfits into the upper end of the tubularpost 35. The plates 39 and 40 are provided with integralsleeves' 42 at their edges and these sleeves receive lateral shanks 43, respectively, formed on the ends of the ldiagonal braces 37 and 38. The body of the diagonal brace 37 is of tubular type, its upper end receiving a shank or arm 44 that projects at right angles to the arm 43. If desired, such a diagonal brace can be made of a solid bar 38, as illustrated in Figure l, the upper end of which is provided with a sleeve 45, the upper end of which connects to an arm 46-similar to the arm 44; At the lower end of the post 35 the same type of joint is employed (see Figure 5).

This elemental joint is illustrated'in Fi ures 6 and 6a, although in Figure 6 te brackets are represented ina slightly different position with the sleeves located on opposite sides of a supporting post 47.

I shall now describe this'elemental joint illustrated in` Figure 6. This joint comprisestwo brackets 48 and 49, the body of each bracket being formed of a plate and each plate having an integral roll at its edge forming a sleeve 50. yEach of these sleeves has a gap 5l so that it constitutesV a split sleeve. In order to increase the gripping force of this sleeve on a shank or pin thrust into it, I prefer to form the metal of the middie of the sleeve with an inwardly pressed waist 52 of reduced internal diameter. `With this construction of the sleeve it will be evident that a shank 53 can be readily in-.` troduced into the enlarged mouth 'of' the sleeve at the end, but will become tight when the pin or shank 53 reaches the middle of the sleeve. If desired, the shank 53 can be covered with an inner metal split sleeve 54, so

that it would enable the shank to have ar good bearing in case it is necessary to rotate the member carrying the shank on the aXls of the shank. The bracket plate may be provided with a similar sleeveconstruction.

to that just described.

In order to enable these brackets to maintain any angular .position with respect to each other, one ofthe edges of one of the plates may be crimped toward the opposite plate and one of the plates may be formed with an integral-eyelet 56 which pivotallyA connects the platesy together but enables themy to be shifted on the aXis of their' connecting.

dle portion offset inwardly, as indicated at v 61, to form a' constricted `clamping point'in the sleeve into which the ends of the rods 60i can be forced so as to be clamped frictiontsht. .l My plate form bracket elements carrying a pivot hole and a'sleeveare useful for con structing theltruck `frame as illustrated in Figure 9, inwhichgure'62 illustrates one of the tubular axles of the truck; The truck wheel 68 is mounted ona pin 64V thrust friction-tightinto the end of the split tube 62 and the outer end of the Apin is provided with? a head 65 that seats against the outer side of a vertical, plate-form bracket 66, the lower end of said bracket plate having an integral sleeve 67 to clamp over horizontal split tube 68 that forms a longitudinal side frame bar of the truck. (See Figure 2.) The ends ofl these bars 68 are connected bysuitablecross bars 70 constructed with corner angles7l having legs received in the Open ends ofthe'.

tubular bars.

e A- bracket plate of the general 'type' described above may be used in va waypto enable rods to be inserted in the sleeves by a lateral movement and then locked in the sleeves by a slight rotation of the brackets: Thisis s accomplished by having the plates of an-gu'-` larform so that when rotated, the corner 73 will project across the sleeve (see Figure 5 in connection with Figure 13)'. Iny this type of construction just referred to the sleevev 74 is open on the side toward the opposite bracket plate (see Figure 13).

are also useful in a construction such as that frame to anaxle. In this view 75 indicates the upper plate having an integral sleeve 76 at one edge and 77 indicates the lower plate having a sleeve 78 at an edge extending sub` stantially at right angles to the aXis'of the',

sleeve 7 6 and below the same. This sleeve 7 8V receives a tubular axle 79 carrying a wheel 8O ofthe 'truck attached as illustrated in Fig ur-e9. The plates 75 and 76 are connected by a vertical swivel 8l. The sleeve l7 6 vcarries a longitudinal bar 82 correspondingV to Y the longitudinal bar 68 of the truck as illusrt-rated in Figure 2.

fio

The joint element illustrated in Figure l5 is useful in constructing a wagon or a truck having a superstructure above the aXle. This is illustrated in Figure 10,- in which 82a indicates a joint having a vertical arm 83 and a horizontal arm 84, in the angle of rwhich a bar 85'is rigidy secured, the inner end of' said bar being received in the end oa tubu lar axle 86 and the vouter end carrying-Q av wheel 87. j j Y This` wheel means of a coillspring 88,the coilsof which yieldingly` clutch: the side vface offthe bar. @ne end ofthis coil may be providedwith a.

may be held on theV axle by 1:60 These swivel bracket plates ofthis typer` N substantially lateraly extension 89. In putting this keeper coily 88 in position it may be rotatedl bythe handle 89 in a directiontending O llllcoil; the coil. This will enable-they j@ coil to go on the bar in a substantially loose mannerfbutassoon as the handle is released thecoil will clasp the-bai.

' The swivelV bracket unit is also very useful in".constructing a tripod of the, typeillus? trated in Figure 17.' In this view 90 indicates abottoni bracket plate having an integral sleeve91 at one edge and connected by a swivelpin 92- to an intermediate bracket platev 93 having an integral sleeve 94 atv an edge.y The two sleeves 91 and 94 are disposed one of my swivel brackets, as'indicated atV n 102embodying a plate 103 with an integral j sleeve 104 at a vertical edge seated on the pin 92 and having a back plate with an integral sleeve 105v extending at right angles to the sleeve 104 and carrying a bar 106. The two bracket plates that form thisv swivel bracket are connected together on a horizontal pivot or swivel 107. V Y v In Figure .I illustrate the preferred construction for mounting the windlass drum 5.

This drum -is mounted ona horizontal threaded shaft 108, the threads ofvwhich receive a nut 109 that can clamp against the adjacenthead 110 of thedrum. This nut109 has ahandle 111 for rotating it. By tightening up on the nut 109 by means of the lhandle llluthe drum canbeheld more or less frictionftight lbetween vthe nut` and the headV 112 on the outerv end of the l.drum shaft. This will` enable the child to givey a yielding resistance to the rotation of the drum in using the cord or cable 113 that issupported by the boom and provided with a hook 114 for handling a load such as illustrated on the truck in'Figure 1./

It is understood that the embodimentof the invention described herein is only one ofthe many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice'of the invention, nor in the claims, 59; to the'particular embodiment set forth.

` I claim: Y

Y 1. In-a'knockdown structural toy, a joint having` a :pair of` superposed plates pivoted together Von an axis at right anglesv to the 66; planeet; theplates; each of 'said plates Vhavj day of July,

Lesa-eos yielding resistance to the rotation of the plates on their pivotalv axis.

2. In a knockdown structural toy, a jointY having a pair of superposed plates pivoted together on an axis at' right angles lto the plane of theA plates, each of said plates hav- VVing an integral sleeve formed at anedge thereof to receive a structural rod, said plates being angularingform, and said sleeves being offset away from the plane of the plates and having anopensidetoward the plane of thel plates tolenable a rod to be inserted in each sleeve by a lateral movement, said plates operating when rotated on thepivotal axis, to project over the open side of the sleeve and lock the rods in them.

3. In a knockdown structural toy,\a joint consisting of a .pair of superposed pivoted plates, each plate having an integralsplit sleeve formed at one edge thereof, a structural rod having a shank with a taperedV tip fitting into saidsleeve, and means on the piv.-y

etal` axis of theplates for attaching a rod to the same to extend at right angles vto the plane of the plates. Y

4. A joint for a knock-down structural toy having a pair of plates pivotally connected together, said platesV being superposed and lying substantially in the same plane andv each plate'rhaving an integralsleeveformed at its edge toreceive a rodA held between the sleeve and the opposite plate and pressed therebetween. 1 f- 5. A joint for a knock-down structural toy having a plate with an integral sleeve formed at one edge of the plate, said sleeve being offset fromY the plane of the plate and open on the side toward the Vplane ofthe plate and capable of being snapped over a rod by a lateral movement of the plateV and sleeve to-Yl ward the rod. y

6. A joint for a knock-down toy comprisingfa pair of superposed plates Vhaving. a sleeve pivotally connecting the same'and capable of receiving a central pin, said plates lying in a single plane at right angles to the aXis rofthe sleeve and having integral sleeves A formed at their edges to recelve a rod corresponding toffeach sleeve. Y

Signed at Los Angeles, California this 3rd 1930. f JAMES FRANCIS KEY.' 

